Quick coupling devices are generally carried on the front of a loader arm and are used for quickly attaching and detaching various implements, such as buckets and the like. Some of these quick coupling devices may also be power-operated to reduce the necessity for manual intervention and to ease operation.
One such example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,397 issued on Oct. 8, 1996 to Larry E. Albright. In this patent, a power operator is used with a quick attachment device on front end loaders. The power operator operates on existing manual levers unlocked positions to either lock in place or release a loader attachment to the attachment frame. The actuator directly connects to pivoting portions of the manual levers and causes the levers to be moved under power between the locked and unlocked positions. However, the use of the actuator on existing manual levers limits the flexibility of the power actuator and may increase risks associated with “pinch-points” created by the manual levers. Further, the use of only one power actuator across the length of the quick attachment device may hamper access to the front end loader and increase the possibility of damage to the power actuator during such access. Additionally, because the power actuator applies a horizontal force to the manual levers, a percentage of the power is lost in moving the locking mechanisms in a vertical direction.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.